Diabetes Testing

There is only one way that a doctor can really tell for sure whether or not you have diabetes, and that is by doing a few tests. For many people undergoing diabetes testing can be a rather stressful situation, particularly if you have never undergone that type of treatment before. One of the best ways to counteract that stress is by learning the details of the more common types of diabetes testing.

• Oral Glucose Tolerance Test. This test isn't really used all that often any more, though it is still in the stable for doctors to use when needed. Typically, the OGTT is used to help determine whether or not an individual has Type 2 diabetes or not and involves people not eating for a period of time that is between eight and 16 hours long. After that time period is tested, a bit of blood is taken for testing. A bit of sugar (about 75 grams) is then given and there is another blood draw. These two samples are then compared for differences. This is perhaps one of the most accurate methods, though it is a bit touch since you have to be in good health (besides possibly being diabetic) for it to work.
• A1C. In addition to helping your doctor determine whether or not you have diabetes, this particular test is one that you will need to take several times, generally two or three times a year. The A1C test is one that will show you what your blood glucose (sugar) level has been for the past three months. On this test (just as in golf) you will want to have a low score, one that is ideally below 7. If it is too high, you can easily end up having heart, eye, kidney, and feet problems.
• Urine Tests for Diabetic Kidney Disease. Considering that some kind of kidney problem occurs in up to 40 percent of the people diagnosed with the disease, it only makes sense that doctors will want to test to make sure that you are alright on that front. This means that you will need to have a urine test to see if there are any problems. This is perhaps one of the less intrusive tests, though it can be sometimes embarrassing to find yourself having to provide a urine sample. These samples are tested to see if there a protein present that indicates a problem may be forming.